The wise women in my life…

When I was in my early twenties, someone introduced me to the idea of learning life lessons from a mentor - a more experienced, wiser (hopefully) person. I didn’t really know how to go about getting a mentor but it sounded like a great idea. So, I asked a woman about ten years my senior if she would be willing to mentor me. She said she’d consider it and let me know. She never got back to me but years later, as a mom of two (she had three small kids), I realize what a sacrifice of time I was asking of her.

Although my friend didn’t respond to my request for wise counsel, my request for guidance didn’t go unheeded. In fact, at that time, I got not one but several wise counselors who made time for me regularly. They just appeared around me in various places – two work friends, a roommate, a colleague’s wife. At the moments I most needed a word of wisdom, it seemed I was surrounded with kindness, wisdom and grace.

These days, I don’t go around seeking wise women. They are all around me. Wise women come in all shapes, sizes and ages. Sometimes I know them for years and sometimes they just make a brief appearance at the time I most need them. Regardless of where I meet them or how long we connect they are integral to my growth as a woman.

While I appreciate and glean wisdom from most of the women I know, I am usually blessed to have a few close friends who I consider my "women's circle". Right now, I have at least three wise women in my life. They are all around the age my mom would have been had she lived and one of them was her dear friend. These are women who keep my confidences and women on whose counsel I depend. I want to honor these women for their friendship, their wisdom and their willingness to share themselves with me. I am deeply grateful.